STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN Brings the Comedy of Life

Coming to theatres from SHOUT! Studios and director Matt Ratner is the story of life changes, unexpected friendships and knowing about STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN.

Scott (Ben Schwartz) has been in Los Angeles for years doing stand up comedy. When things become a little stagnant in his life, he returns home to live with supportive Mom Jeanie (Debra Monk), not so supportive Dad Gary (Kevin Dunn) and hilarious sister Megan (Grace Gummer). Trying to decide what to do Scott spends an evening out with best bud Murph (Leonard Ouzts) who has some things to say.

He lets Scott know that life is different for those that didn’t take off to California. Bringing up his fast scoot out of town when things got to serious with ex-girlfriend Becky (Eloise Mumford) hit close to home for Scott. Heading off to the men’s room he meets Marty (Billy Crystal) who has a few weird habits.

Going to the dermatologist, Scott is amazed to discover it is Marty and a strange and unusual friendship begins to happen. Learning about one another is part of that friendship including the good, bad and the chance to make up for some of the mistakes they have both made in their life.

When Scott decides to go back to the stage, he might have finally broken the wall with his family…maybe. Marty decides to take a lesson from Scott’s playbook and reach out to the family he believes is lost to him.

Both wondering if its possible to drop the bag of bricks on their backs!

Schwartz as Scott is a man who thought going to Los Angeles for his comedy career was a great idea, and a good way to avoid a relationship. Coming home was the last thing he wanted to do knowing what wait for him walking through the front door. Finding Marty, although in an unusual way, became a friendship he counted on to avoid his own life because Marty didn’t judge. Schwartz gives his character the ability to verbally wrangle with his sister, avoidance with his Dad and avoid friends that ask to many questions.

Crystal as Marty gets a chance to do what he does best, be funny, have the best one-liners and a flow about him that gives his character ease. That’s all great but when its time to come to terms with Marty’s past, Crystal shows a side that is devastated, and I felt every bit of it. An amazing performance but not unexpected.

Gummer as sister Megan is absolutely hilarious and quick witted. I loved every scene she was in and wouldn’t have minded more. Shout out to Castaneda as boyfriend Ruiz for holding his own in a dysfunctional family. Monk as Mom Jeanie just wants her son to find some peace in his life, Dunn as Dad Gary is, well a dad without humor. Ouzt as Murph is a friend who doesn’t hesitate to let Scott know that there is more to life than the one he has created in his comedy bubble.

Other cast include Nate Corddry as Adam, Jill Hennessy as Vanessa, Caitlin McGee as Taylor, David Castaneda as Ruis, John Behlmann as Owen, Wade Allain-Marcus as Bray, Kate Arrington as Tonya and Mike Carlsen as Tony.

STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN is a film that just smacks of reality and you don’t have to be in comedy to see it. There are so many moments where I found myself saying out loud, “you got that right” because the situations are so relatable.

The cast played off each other so well that the story just flowed. There are moments where I laughed, moments I kind of fell quiet (I know right?) and most of all, times I saw what great lessons there are for us all in the film.

Director Ratner says about the story, “Scott and Marty are two people who are at very different points in their life with similar shortcomings. Scott is a dreamer who wants desperately to believe he is in a love story. Marty is a man who wears a mask – and wears it so well he often succeeds at fooling himself. The life he lives now – that of a suburban dermatologist – is an attempt at stability after a life lived in the fast lane. Marty and Scott are both perpetually teetering on the brink of self-destruction”.

The film was the Official Selection of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019, Napa Valley Film Festival in 2019 and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. It won the Humor and Humanity Award from the Heartland International Film Festival.